Blending apparatus



3 Sheets- Sheet l FiledL April 30, 1941? IN VEN TOR. W/LLM M NORMAN WHERRETT A TTURIVEY INVENTOR. VWILLIAM NORMAN WHERRETT ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 W. N. WHERRETT BLENDING APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1947 Patented Aug. 1,,1950' BLENDING APPARATUS William Norman Wherrett, Wilmington, Deb, as-' duct to E. L du Pont de Nemours ib compnny, Wilmington, Deb, a corporation of Delaware Application Alil'll 30, 1947, Serial No. 744,829

Claims. (Cl- 259-97 This invention relates to blenders and more particularly to an, improved discharge mechanism therefor as well as compactness in the overall construction of blender mechanism.

Heretoiore equipment for blending materials of the nature of grain, cement, plastics, or the like has been space consuming because 0! the requirements of such apparatus for charging, mixing, conveying and discharging.

These disadvantages are overcome by my improvement which is described more fully hereinafter.

According to this invention the usual space required for equipment having a similar blending capacity can be substantially reduced, and the capacity of the blender increased two or three times in volume or rate of production.

One of the novel features of my present invention is an improved discharge mechanism for the blended material. Accordingly, a blending apparatus is provided comprising a cylindrical chamber having a cone-shaped lower portion into which the material to be blended is introduced. From the cone-shaped intake, the material is lifted through a conduit bya screw conveyor to the upper portion of the chamber. At the upper end of the screw conveyor there is provided a discharge sleeve supported to revolve around the discharge end of the screwoconveyor. Mounted separately with this sleeve is a spout inclined downwardly at an angle depending on the angle of repose of the material to be discharged. The spout is provided with an opening to mate with the opening in the discharge sleeve to permit free discharge of material therefrom.

This invention is illustrated by way of examples in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig'. 1 is a side elevation of a cone blender having portions cut away to show a sectional view of the discharge mechanism at the top and the intake at the bottom.

Fig. ,2 is a detail side elevation view of the discharge mechanism and its relation to the top of the vertical screw housing duct with the blender tank in partial section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view of sleeve, which co-operates therewith, superimposed above.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of the twoelements illustrated in Fig. 6.

Referring more specifically to Fig. l and Fig. 2, one feature of my invention comprises a rotatable sleeve i with a matching porthole oi the same diameter as the opening in the round take-0d duct 2. Rotatabie sleeve l moves independently of duct 2 so that it can be rotated to a position in which the porthole matches with the opening in duct 2 (in which case an opening is created for the discharge oi material into duct 2) or it can be rotated so that the porthole is completely out of register with takeoff duct 2' (in which case there can be no discharge into 2) Rotatable sleeve I is supported on intermittent brackets 3 fastened to internal conveyor duct 4. These brackets are intentionally made intermittent to prevent any accumulation of material from lodging between sleeve 1 and duct 4 and thereby causing the sleeve to stick. Since the supporting brackets do not surround duct 4 as a continuous ledge, any material deposited thereon will be present only in small amounts and easily dislodged.

According to this embodiment of the invention a cable system is provided for operating sleeve valve I, although other means may be used for go this purpose. As illustrated. cable 5 is threaded around rotatable sleeve I to which it is secured by passing it through some form of retaining bracket in on the sleeve opposite the porthole. This may be a bracket with a hole drilled in it so that properly spaced knots or welded projections 9 wall of the blender, and over two pivoted directional sheaves I, I, thencev aroimd sheave If mounted on an extension of the shaft of an. interior valve. The two ends of the operating cable are connected together by .a .turn buckle 9 to as make the cable continuous, which will permit adthe screw conveyor housing and discharge shell taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken on lines 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing the relation of the controls of the discharge valve sleeve and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified form of valve operation.

Fig. 6 i an enlarged perspective view of the justment of the cable to greater tautness or loose.- ness as conditions may require.

In some cases and under certain conditions of operation, other means may be provided for atso fecting operation of the rotatable sleeve valve such as the single rod. bell-crank means illustrated in Fig. 5. Also a worm and gear mechanism with control rods located outside the blender or a rack and pinion means similarly located upper end oi the conveyor duct with the rotatable 44 may obviously be substituted. This sleeve may also for some purposes be constructed to move vertically so that the discharge opening may likewise be moved in and out of register with the corresponding opening in the conveyor duct 4.

Operation of sleeve valve I may be timed to be simultaneous with the operation of the exterior discharge valve of Figs. 1 and 2. Operation is accomplished by means of a second sheave II (illustrated in the side elevation view of Fig. 2) mounted on the same extension of the exterior discharge valve shaft as I and adjacent to 8. Sheave It may have ashort length of cable attached to a point on the periphery thereof for hand operation so that any pull on this cable will rotate sheave I II and simultaneously rotate sheave 8 mounted on the same shaft the same amount and thereby operate the rotatable sleeve I through its cable system, while at the same time causing the exterior valve to operate in synchronism with the rotating sleeve I.

The foregoing construction and combination of parts not only prevent the entrance of lubricating grease carried by the cables from the pivoted directional sheaves I, -'I, but also assures against the entry of other undesirable foreign material into the blender. With the blender construction shown it is possible to circulate air or other gas through the blender to assure control of the moisture content of the material being blended. :Inlet pipe I2 and outlet pipe I3 are provided for this D D Referring to the modified form of valve illustrated in Fig. 5, a single control rod 20 enters through stumng box 6. The inner end of rod III is hooked to engage with the single ring 2| integral with the sleeve valve I. Sufllcient clearance is provided between the hook portion and the ring to prevent binding as the sleeve is turned through its complete angular range from fully open to fully closed position. The outer end of 20 is threaded to permit placement of stop nuts 22, and its extreme end is supported by bearing 23 which, in turn, is supported by bracket 21. Rod 20 is freely movable longitudinally through hearing it and stufling box 6, accidental complete disengagement from 23 being prevented by locknuts 24. Rod 20 is provided with a pin 25 which loosely engages with slot 26 of the upper arm of the bell crank. The bell crank is pivoted on pin 28, supported by bracket 21, and the lower arm of the bell crank is connected by pin 29 to vertical handle rod 30. When 30 is pushed up the bell crank rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, and rod 20 is moved outwards, carrying sleeve valve I around in a clockwise direction. Pulling 30 down causes movement of I in the reverse, or counter-clockwise, direction.

In the modification shown in Fig. 'l of the up- 4 While the blender is operating as a blender, rotatable sleeve I is closed so that no material can enter the down-going duct to the exterior discharge valve and the internal conveyor continuously lifts and mixes material in the duct, spilling it over the top of the duct. When discharge is desired, rotatable sleeve I and the exterior discharge valve are simultaneously opened by rotation of sheave III and the internal conveyor feeds the blended material through the porthole in sleeve I into the down duct and out through the exterior discharge valve to other equipment in the process.-

It will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description and illustrations of my invention that various modifications and substitutions may be made without departing from the scope thereof. 1 do not intend to be limited except as indicated in the appended patent claims.

I claim:

1. A blending mechanism for solid materials comprising a closed tank having lower op'enings for admitting treating gas and material to be mixed therein, and an upper opening above the normal level of material to be mixed for conducting away residual gases issuing from the body of treated material, an upright tubular conduit mounted in the tank with its open lower end below the normal level of the material to be treated and its upper end above said level, means for elevating said material through said conduit and causing it to overflow from the upper end thereof and thereby eil'ect uniform mixing of the material, an opening at one point in the cylindrical wall of said conduit for discharging said material, a rotatable cylindrical sleeve mounted to turn concentrically on said cylindrical wall of the conduit, said sleeve having an opening through its wall to register with the opening in said conduit when thesleeve is rotated to a discharge position, said tank having a third opening therein below the level of the discharge opening in said conduit, a material discharge pipe per end of the conveyor duct and discharge sleeve,

the lip or rim is stationary in place of movable as described in connection with the remaining figures of the drawing.

The blending action of the blender is eflectedby rotation of the continuous internal screw conveyor which carries material up the internal duct 4 of the blender and spills it over the top of the duct into the surrounding space. For this reason it is desirable to keep the level of the material in the blender at or below the top of this internal duct. As shown, the top of the conveyor duct is fitted with a continuous surrounding rim or lip II or Ila which will prevent the material being blended from spilling over into the space between additional assurance against binding of the sleeve.

sealed into the tank and extending from said latter opening to a point adjacent the level of the opening in the sleeve. and means outside the tank for rotating the sleeve into and from discharge position.

2. In a' .closed tank for mixing solid materials having means for admitting treating gases and the solid materials to be mixed and treated, means for carrying away residual gases and an opening for discharging treated material, an upright conduit open at both ends mounted in said tank and having means therein and extending thereabove for continuously conveying material being treated from a lower to an upper level, means for discharging treated material without substantially impairing the atmospheric condition within the tank comprising an opening in the side wall; of the conduit intermediate the ends thereof to communicate with the opening for discharging treated material, means surrounding the conduit and having an opening therein corresponding with the opening intermediate the ends of the conduit, and means for br nging said openings into register for discharging blended material from the tank.

3. A blending apparatus comprising a cylindrical chamber having a cone-shaped lower portion for receiving the material to be blended. an upright conveyor duct disposed within the receiving chamber, a screw conveyor positioned inside the duct for lifting and blending the material, a discharge opening intermediate the ends of the conveyor duct, and means secured to the conveyor duct having an opening-therein corresponding with the intermediate opening in the conveyor duct, and means extending outside the blending chamber for selectively bringing the two said openings into register to thereby eflect discharge oi. the blended material irom the chamber.

4. A blending apparatus comprising a blending chamber, a conveyor duct within the chamber for blending material introduced therein, an opening in the side wall of the conveyor duct, a rotatable sleeve mounted on said conveyor duct having an opening therein to register with the opening in the side wall of said conveyor duct, means corresponding with the opening in the side wall of said conveyor duct for discharging the blended material from the blending chamber when the opening in the sleeve is in register with the openings in said conveyor duct and the discharge means, and means exterior to the blending chamber for rotating the sleeve.

5. A dispensing device for discharging solid material comprising in combination a conveyor duct open at both ends, a discharge outlet in the conveyor duct intermediate its ends, means for conveying the material through the duct, means outside the conveyor duct for supporting and driving the conveyor means, a rotatable sleeve member surrounding said conveyor duct at the point of discharge, a take-on duct extending at an angle away from the outlet in the conveyor duct, an opening in the rotatable sleeve member adapted to register with the outlet "in said conveyor duct and with the take-ofldii'ct, and control means positioned at a remote point from the sleeve for rotating the sleeve member to bring the openings into register with each other and with the take-on duct to control-fthe discharge of solid material from the conveyor duct.

WILLIAM NORMAN WHERRE'I'I.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the die of this patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Nmnber 

